Thanks for the Friendships!!!

Today, we found #5000. We found our first official geocache (GC91E4) on October 8, 2004, in Grapevine, Texas, with +1, our daughter, without the benefit of a GPS. We cannot remember the exact date, but +1 had told us about the activity called geocaching many months earlier. The closest cache at that time was located on Petit Jean Mountain (or that’s the way rkl remembers it). poppy took us to our first geocache site in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on the afternoon of Friday, September 24, 2004, while we were on a Canadian Maritime trip. nonnipoppy and rklmbl had both lived in the Clarksville area for several years, but had never met before this trip.

So, +1 and nonnipoppy are at the beginning of a long list of people that we want to thank for getting us involved in geocaching. If the computer did its thing right, we would like to thank 1097 owners who have placed caches for us to find. You cannot find them if someone does not place them. We would especially like to thank these Arkansas geocachers: Woodwalker9, nonnipoppy, Golfnutz, mbell72901, Hot Rod on Foot and Bike, CacheNaFlash, grandkid38, Arkansas Stickerdude, Ozark Mountain Ghost, AR HICK, “CacheMates”, Huntin4Cache, cachecrazies, bmwrider2, Old River Runner, mountainborn, ARVS #2, 4wheeling, topkitty98, golfpt, The Griswolds, Team Pink, cfd29, hamligc, idratherbehiking, KD5JNL, and cfd10&tee. This information came from the computer count showing Finds by Owner, which lists our finds by the top 40 owners. Sidebar: Sandbassking & Queen in Texas placed our greatest number of finds to date (100).

We would like to tell these cachers that we have thoroughly enjoyed the days we have spent finding geocaches with them: +1, nonnipoppy, Golfnutz, Woodwalker9, “CacheMates”, cfd29, Huntin4Cache, 2 j’s, hsjd19, teachjlm8, cachecrazies, Hot Rod on Foot and Bike, Nidomio, and Geopirat.

It is a long list of cachers that we have met on the trails, at events, that have given us hints, geocoins, cache containers, and other memories. To each one of you, we say “Thanks for the good times.” Old River Runner was the first cacher we met on the trail.

We’d also like to thank MaxCacher, Nature Fish, and Chuck Walla for approving our geocaches and for the time and effort they spend keeping Arkansas geocaching alive and growing by leaps and bounds.

We appreciate all of you who hunt our caches, and especially those who write about their experiences in their logs. As many people have said before, your logs are our reward for placing those caches.

To all the law enforcement officers who have checked on us as we were geocaching: Thanks for watching out for our and for others’ safety.

When we started geocaching, the majority of caches in the Clarksville area were placed by Golfnutz and nonnipoppy. And, needless to say, they tested our friendship. Many a time, rkl wondered just how big those ole boys were. All is forgiven now except for one or two of Golf’s logs.

Other highlights: Caching with all three of our children and our grandchild. Seeing all the scenic beauty of the world and visiting historical sites. Trips to Geowoodstocks IV and V. Being stuck on Blue Mountain with poppy. Meeting rkl’s “cousins” from “afar”. Our fartherest and most eastern cache find was Standing Duck (GCR8ZW) in Austria. Our nearest cache find was Elkins Hollow, The Redo (GCT9NR). Our most northern cache find was Surf the Line (GCG7V7). Our most western cache find was Chena Marina RV Park (GCJZAF). Both Surf the Line and Chena were found in Alaska at -12 degrees when we were supposed to be prepping for our daughter’s wedding. Our all time favorite cache is The Grotto (GC9CBB) in Memphis, Tennessee. The oldest cache we have found is Gorilla Stash (GC1B) in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

But our number one highlight and the best thing about this sport called geocaching is:Eo Orbis Terrarum Planto Novus Amicitia - Travel the World Make New Friends

I agree with The Griswolds about your post! Congratulations on this milestone find and thank you for all of your great caches (many of which I enjoyed this past weekend!). But mostly, thanks for your friendship! When I think of you two, I always picture you both smiling! -- ORR

"Wildness is a necessity." -- John Muir

"When you go to hide a geocache, think of the reason you are bringing people to that spot. If the only reason is for the geocache, then find a better spot." – briansnat

Well, you guys, I can only say one thing for certain about that wonderful post and that is, the pleasure has been OURS. Your warm personalities are a gift to everyone you meet and we are glad we were fortunate enough to have that experience and hope we will will many more. Congratulations on a REALLY big accomplishment.

The first geocacher to give me a phone call was rklmbl after they had come to Paris and found some of my caches. A short time later my wife and I were able to meet them at their home. It did not take long for us to realize that rkl and mbl were two great people as well as great cachers. We have enjoyed the time we have had getting to know them at events and etc. We also have a story where we ran on to them at a cache near McAlester, OK.

WOW!! What a great caching career!! That is a resume that would make anyone envious. You guys are such a great asset to the goecaching community and such wonderful people. I have fond memories of the expeditions, some at your expense, and I hope to make many more memories at future events and on the trails. Thanks for all your ideas and help and all of the wonderful caches you have placed.